Texas Football: 5 best players on the 2017 roster

As the 2017 season draws closer for Texas football fans with first-year head coach Tom Herman, who are the best players on the roster?

The Texas Longhorns might have the highest unwarranted expectations of any team in the Big 12. Head coach Tom Herman brought with him an entire hype train running through the entire offseason. However, there is talent left on this Texas roster after the failed experiment with former head coach Charlie Strong.

With the departure of running back D’onta Foreman, the Horns need to find new leaders on offense. They also need to have other defensive players step up around junior inside linebacker Malik Jefferson.

Sophomore quarterback Shane Buechele has a lot of the pressure of the offense on his shoulders to perform more consistently than he did in 2016. A big progression under Herman would put the Longhorns in position to compete at the top of the Big 12 once again.

The return of running back Chris Warren III after limited action in 2016 could also help the offense make a good push. To keep up with other offenses inside the Big 12 like that of the Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Texas Tech Red Raiders, and West Virginia Mountaineers will be a tall task for the Horns.

The defense also needs to step up after a down year in 2016. The talent is there to compete but leaders need to emerge on both sides of the ball to lead by example and finally anchor down both the offense and defense.